Civil Marriage: When Community of Property Becomes a Calculation

Civil marriage in Burkina Faso is increasingly being viewed through a financial lens, shifting from a union based on love and solidarity to one driven by material calculation. The article observes a trend where prospective spouses, before uttering vows, meticulously assess their partner's assets, treating marriage akin to a financial investment or a cooperative fund. This transactional approach, the author contends, overshadows the emotional and personal commitment traditionally associated with marriage. While acknowledging that the community of property itself is not inherently negative and can foster conjugal solidarity, the piece strongly criticizes the opportunistic mindset that prioritizes patrimonial gain over the shared life project. The author emphasizes that contributions to a family's prosperity are not solely measured in financial terms. Unpaid labor, such as managing a household, raising children, and supporting a spouse's ambitions, constitutes a significant, albeit often invisible, contribution to the common good. This perspective challenges the purely economic calculus, highlighting the multifaceted nature of marital contributions. The article warns that when marriage becomes a calculated asset-seeking operation, it can lead to profound disillusionment and, in extreme cases, even sinister desires for premature widowhood to access inheritance. It cautions against attributing this opportunism to any single gender, stating that greed transcends gender lines and affects both men and women who specialize in 'profitable' marriages.